Plan to convert upper floors of Harrogate’s Old Bell into holiday accommodation

The upper floors above a traditional pub in central Harrogate could be converted to holiday accommodation.

An application has been submitted to turn the second, third and fourth floors of 6 Royal Parade, above the Old Bell, into letting rooms.

The pub is owned by Market Town Taverns, part of Heron and Brearley (H&B) based on the Isle of Man.

The proposal, submitted by Darren Clibbens of H&B, would see the basement, ground and first floors of the building unchanged. The upper floors would be turned into holiday accommodation, though the plans do not reveal how this would be laid out or how many rooms would be created.

The application is for an area of 360m sq, and states that, if approved, the change of use would see the number of full-time equivalent jobs at the site increase from five to eight.

The upper levels of the building are currently vacant office space, according to the application, with one studio apartment on the top floor.

Harrogate Borough Council’s estates team, and parks and gardens team, have both responded to the application and have not raised any objections. However, they have asked for consideration to be given to the storage of resulting trade waste on the site, and highlighted the fact that the area in front of the building, including the pavement, forms part of the Stray.

To view or comment on the proposal, visit the Harrogate Borough Council planning website and use reference 22/02231/FUL.

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